PROCEEDINGS OF RESEARCH CONFERENCE Sixtieth Annual Report 2015 Compiled and Edited By: Dr. Nick Gawel Tennessee State University College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences Nursery Research Center 472 Cadillac Lane McMinnville, TN 37110 SNA Research Conference Vol. 60 2015 60th Annual Southern Nursery Association Research Conference Proceedings 2014 Southern Nursery Association, Inc. PO Box 801454 Acworth, GA 30101 Tel: 678-809-9992 Fax: 678-809-9993 [email protected] www.sna.org Proceedings of the SNA Research Conference are published annually by the Southern Nursery Association. It is the fine men and women in horticultural research that we, the Southern Nursery Association, pledge our continued support and gratitude for their tireless efforts in the pursuit of the advancement of our industry. Additional Copies: 2015 CD-Rom Additional Copies: SNA Members $15.00* Horticultural Libraries $15.00* Contributing Authors $15.00* Non-Members $20.00* *includes shipping and handling © Published October, 2015 ii SNA Research Conference Vol. 60 2015 Southern Nursery Association, Inc. BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Immediate Past President Michael Hobbs Richard May Warren County Nursery May Nursery 6492 Beersheba Highway 178 May Nursery Road McMinnville, TN 37110 Havana, FL 32333 Tel: 931.668.8941 Tel: 800.342.7134 Fax: 931.668.2245 Fax: 888.242.8271 E-mail: [email protected] [email protected] Vice President/Treasurer Director Chapter 3 Director Chapter 4 Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee Texas Rickey Minton Dusty Knight Triangle Nursery Plantation Tree Company 8526 Beersheba Hwy 120 County Road 15 South, Selma, McMinnville, TN 37110 AL 36703 Tel: 931-688-8022 Tel: 334.875.9176 Fax: 931-683-3297 Fax: 334.875.9621 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Executive Vice President Director Chapter 1 Karen Summers Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, Southern Nursery Association West Virginia PO Box 801454 Norman Cole, III Acworth, GA 30101 Cole Nurseries Tel: 678.809.9992 PO Box 210 Fax: 678.809.9993 Pipestem, WV 25979 [email protected] Tel: 304.466.1970 Email: [email protected] Board Advisor Danny Summers Director Chapter 2 PO Box 801454 Florida, Georgia, South Carolina Acworth, GA 30101 Joseph Napoli Tel: 678.809.9992 Athens Wholesale Growers Fax: 678.809.9993 495 Belmont Rd [email protected] Athens, GA 30605 Tel: 706.546.6638 Fax: 706.546.0263 Email: [email protected] RESEARCH CONFERENCE Director of Horticultural Research & Conference Chair Conference Co-Chair Dr. Nick Gawel Dr. Donna Fare Tennessee State University USDA/ARS/FNPRU Nursery Research Center TSU Nursery Research Center 472 Cadillac Lane 472 Cadillac Lane McMinnville, TN 37110 McMinnville, TN 37110 [email protected] [email protected] iii SNA Research Conference Vol. 60 2015 Acknowledgments The Editor and Board of Directors of the Southern Nursery Association wish to express their sincere appreciation to Jim Robbins, Forrest Steglin, Scot Langolis, Alicia Bray, Donna Fare, Genhua Niu, Anthony LeBude, Ed Bush, Alan Windham, Tim Rinehart, Gene Blythe, Sam Dennis and Hannah Mathers for the fine job they did as Section Editors and Moderators. Special thanks go to Mengmeng Gu for her efforts in selecting and instructing judges, and overall coordinating and moderating the Bryson L. James Student Research Competition. Without the efforts of all these people, the conference would not happen and this year’s Proceedings would not be published. Special thanks are extended to the sponsors of the 2015 SNA Research Conference, Bennett’s Creek Nursery and Lancaster Farms. Without the financial contributions of these sponsors, the conference could not be held. We extend our gratitude to all the researchers and nurserymen who attended the 60th Annual SNA Research Conference and/or contributed to these Proceedings. You make this annual event a success. Notice Mention of a trademark name on a proprietary product does not constitute a guarantee and/or warranty of the product by the researcher(s) or their respective universities or the Southern Nursery Association and does not imply its approval to the exclusion of other products that may also be suitable. Permission to reprint articles and quotations of portions of this publication is hereby granted on condition that full credit be given to both the author(s) and the publication, Proceedings of the SNA Research Conference, along with the date of the publication. The Southern Nursery Association is not responsible for the statements and opinions printed in the Proceedings of the SNA Research Conference; they represent the views of the author(s). iv SNA Research Conference Vol. 60 2015 Using Research Data Safely and Effectively Good research is conducted under an exact set of controlled conditions, varying only the specific treatments which are to be evaluated. Results from the specific treatments are directly applicable to your operations only if all the conditions in your operation are controlled the same as in the research. Unfortunately, this seldom happens. However, this does not mean that you cannot benefit from the research. What it does mean is that you should use the research information on a trial basis if your plant species, soil type, watering method, size and age of plant, climatic region, etc. is different than that described by the researcher. What an alert grower should expect to gain from these research reports is ideas – ideas as to the best control for insects, disease, nematodes and weeds – labor saving ideas such as chemical pruning and using growth regulators to minimize maintenance. Also, ideas on water management, nutrition, alternative growing media, new plants for landscaping and guides for improving profits and marketing skills can also be found. Should you desire additional information on any report, please contact the author. v SNA Research Conference Vol. 60 2015 THE PORTER HENEGAR MEMORIAL AWARD for HORTICULTURAL RESEARCH James A. Robbins The Southern Nursery Association honored Dr. James A. Robbins with the Porter Henegar Memorial Award during the 60th Annual SNA Research Conference. Originally known as the Research Award of Merit, the recognition was created in 1968 to honor those individuals who have made outstanding contributions to ornamental horticulture research and specifically to members of the association. In 1972, the award was renamed the Porter Henegar Memorial Award in honor of one of SNA’s former Executive Secretaries. Nominations are made each year by the SNA’s Director of Research and past award winners. Dr. Robbins received his Bachelor’s degree in Horticulture in 1978 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, his Masters degree with Dr. Michael Dirr at the University of Georgia in 1981 and his Ph.D. in Plant Physiology from the University of California-Davis in 1985. He started his career in the Horticulture Department at Kansas State University. In 1990 he was honored to be hired by Briggs Nursery in Olympia, WA as their first Manager of Research and Education. He was hired in 1994 as the Director of Horticultural Research for Professional and Consumer Products for IMC Vigoro, manufacturer of VigoroTM, WoodaceTM, and ParExTM brands of fertilizer. In 1998 Dr. Robbins joined the University of Arkansas as an Extension Specialist and researcher for the commercial green industry. A hallmark of his academic career has been to work on issues that are driven by a need from the nursery industry such as substrates, fertility, and automation. Although without an official teaching appointment, his collaboration on the ‘Virtual Nursery Field Trips’ will help instructors of nursery crop production and management and related Horticulture classes across the nation. Dr. Robbins has been an integral part of the SNA Research Conference, serving many years as a section chair, student judge, and publishing and presenting his research for 35 years. vi SNA Research Conference Vol. 60 2015 Dr. Robbins is deeply grateful to the incredible mentors and friends in both academia and industry who have contributed to his success. He also thanks his graduate students for making the journey worthwhile. vii SNA Research Conference Vol. 60 2015 The Bryson L. James Student Research Competition 2015 Awards This long-standing program was renamed in August 1989, in honor of Dr. Bryson L. James, longtime Director of Horticultural Research for the Southern Nursery Association. As Dr. James has been an active participant and leader in the annual Research Conference for more than 50 years, the award, named in his honor, is a tribute to his tireless efforts on behalf of the researchers, the association and the industry. Listed below are guidelines for the Student Competition as well as this year's winners: 1. Any student of a university or a college Conference. having researchers that participate in the Southern Nursery Association Research 6. Student and advisor should be listed as Conference, are not more than one (1) co-authors. academic year removed from graduation and whose research was completed prior 7. Oral presentation must be limited to to graduation are eligible to compete. seven (7) minutes. An additional three (3) minutes will be allotted for questions. A 2. Research is to be that of the presenter penalty of two (2) points per minute or part and a part of his/her educational studies. thereof for every minute over seven (7) Contract work, unless a part of a thesis or minutes will be assessed. classroom report (credit given), is not acceptable, as it may provide unlimited 8. Judging shall be based on preparation of funding and an unfair advantage. the paper (50 points) and oral 3. The number of student papers from a presentation (100 points) for a total of 150 single university or college may be limited, points. should time restraints dictate. 4. The student must have submitted a title to the SNA Conference Editor by the deadline specified in the Call For Titles. The paper should then be submitted to the Section Editor for the Student Competition no later than the specified deadline.